Madagascar (franchise)

Madagascar is a computer-animated franchise produced by DreamWorks Animation. Voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith are featured in the films.

Madagascar
Madagascar is a 2005 computer-animated comedy film and the first film in the series. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, the film tells the story of four Central Park Zoo animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, and Gloria the Hippo, who have spent their lives in blissful captivity and are unexpectedly shipwrecked on the island of Madagascar. Despite the mixed response from critics, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $532 million worldwide.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a 2008 computer-animated comedy/adventure film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Madagascar. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, the film continues the adventures of Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria, who try to escape Madagascar, but they crash-land in Africa. The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics, and grossed over $603 million worldwide, which is higher than its predecessor.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is a 2012 computer animated comedy film, and the third installment in the series, directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, along with Conrad Vernon. Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman are still struggling to get home to New York. This time, their journey takes them to Europe where they purchase a failing traveling circus as they become close friends with the staff like Stefano (sea lion), Vitaly (tiger), and Gia (jaguar). Together, they spectacularly revitalize the business even as the fanatical Monaco Animal Control officer Captain Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand) relentlessly pursues them. In the end, the zoo animals finally get back to New York, only to find that they have grown too much in spirit to return to captivity, and decide to stay with the circus instead. The film received mostly positive reviews and more critical praise than the previous two films, grossing over $742 million worldwide, marking the highest-grossing film in the series.

The Penguins of Madagascar
A spin off film featuring the penguins had been in the works since 2005, when the first Madagascar film had been released, with a release date planned for 2009. In March 2011, it was announced that the penguin characters would be given their own feature film, similar to the 2011 Puss in Boots movie, to be directed by Simon J. Smith, the co-director of Bee Movie, produced by Lara Breay, and written by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, the writers of DreamWorks' Megamind. In July 2012, at Comic-Con, it was announced that the film, titled The Penguins of Madagascar, is scheduled to be released in 2015. Robert Schooley, one of the producers of The Penguins series, said that the film will be unrelated to the TV series of the same name, but he did say that could always change. In September 2012, 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation announced the release date for March 27, 2015, and a new pair of writers, Michael Colton and John Aboud.

Madagascar 4
DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has stated that there is likely to be a fourth installment in the franchise. However, in June 2012, DreamWorks Animation's head of worldwide marketing, Anne Globe, said, "It's too early to tell. There hasn't been a lot of discussion about that." Eric Darnell, who co-directed all three films, said of the possibility of the fourth film: "Two things have to happen. One is that the world has to want Madagascar 4, because if they don't want it, it doesn't matter what we do. And the other thing is even if the world wants Madagascar 4, we have to make sure that we have an idea that is incredible, that is great, that is unexpected. If the audience wants it and we have a great idea, we will see — maybe."